The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-21
EMIN REY HEARD FROM.

| lishman of whom the world has heard SO
| much in connection with his African exploits.
The early part of his career. like the sources
| of the Nile and some other unknown and un-
movable things, is enveloped in obscurity. SO
far, at least, as the world atlarge is concerned
Whether he went to Africa as a missionary, as
commercial traveller, as a geographical ex-
| plorer, as military adventurer, or a founder
of empire is imraaterial. But perhaps there
was a mixture of ALL for the English charac-
| ter is composite. DR.. Emin, Emin Boy,
has been compared to Chinese Gordon,
| ligious fanatic who carried the sword in
| hand and the Bible in the other, conquering
| and subdung the heather in the name Of
| Christ and Queen Victoria, and ramming the
prayer books down the Threats of unbe-
| levers at the point of the bayonet
| Chinese Gordon could do more hard praying
| and fighting in given time than any other
| man of recent times. He a military mis-
sionary such as the English delight in, con-
scientious believer in the duty of killing
| heather who do not recognize the British
sovereign as the head of the true church.
Emin Bey has been compared to him, and not
without reason. They both had the same
simple-minded faith in the doctrines of the
English church and in the reformatory power
of gunpowder. They both believed implicitly
in the ritual and in bayonets. They both
had great confidence in British regulars an
auxiliary force to the ten commandments. If
the heather could not be converted any other
way they would convert them at the lannon's
lands Christian soldiers have. New
theless both of these men did ex-
cellent work in a way, and it conpli-
ment to both to compare either with the
other. Is is only mentioned here to show
something of what sort of man Emin Bey is
For long time he was buried in central At
RIGA. It was known that he had achieved
great power and influence over the natives,
that he had made considerable progress in
breaking up the slave trade, and that he had
succeeded in establishing something like set
tied government among the native tribes.
Then it was given out that he was surrounded
by savages who were pouring in from all d.
rections, that his colony was about to be ami
hilated, and that his only hope was TO cut his
way out. Here was the case of an English
Christian soldier surrounded by savages that
must appeal to the public. Such an appeal
was made and relief expedition
was organized. Private subscriptions and
government aid were combined. Stanley,
the American explorer, was summoned by
telegraph to take charge of it. He aban-
doned his lecture tour, Cancelled his engage
ments, and hurried to England fast
steam could take him. The expedition was
soon organized with Stanley at the head.
Money was no object. It was matter of
honor and sentiment. There was no question
of empire. conquest or territorial aggrandize-
ment involved; suggestion of commerce or
trade, nothing of this gross or material nat
ure. 1t was a relief expedition, pure and
simple sort of holy duty to be performed
behalf of one of England's military mission
aries, whose zeal for the crown and cross had
got him into a tight place. So the expedition
was organized, and departed with Stanley at
the head. Undoubtedly he was beyond all
others, the man for the work. Meanwhile.
nothing was heard from Emin Bey, who at
last accounts was surrounded by savages and
preparing to die in the last ditch, or cut his
way out of the dark continent. But at last
Emin Bey has been heard from. And what
is the newsf Is he dead, slain by the heather,
buried In the sands of Africa with the Eng
lish prayer book in his handg Is he still sur
rounded by an army of savages hungrier for
his blood than an Indiana Democratic con-
vention for officef Is he fighting his way out
towards some point where he might reason
ably hope to find British sutler and get
square mea9 Nothing of the kind. The dis
patch says:
--latest reports from the interior by
traders show that Emin Bey was in good
health in March and projecting an expedition
to further explore the Kakbbi river, the i'm
mense stream which he discovered in Septem-
Der, rising in the Usongora mountains and
flowing into the southern part of Lake Vic
toria Nyanza. He proposed that this, his
third expedition, should occupy three mont tbs
1t is thought he may meet the Stanley expe-
dition in Usongora."
This shows that Emin Bey is all right. The
British missionary is not so easily downed.
He probably had military force and munitions
of war enough to convert majority of the
natives who were thirsting for his blood and
then started on exploring expedition. He
will not have to cut his way out. There
was no necessity for a relief expedition. It
was not for Christian sympathy, but
simply a scheme for the extension of the
British empire and trade. Emin Bey is quite
we'll, thank you, and sends his compliments
to Queen Victoria, hoping to be able to add
new possessions to the crown. 1t may be
some time before the natives will learn to
read the English Bible but they will have